


How do I say I love you?

by bobbersbme



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Theo knows when he isn't wanted, Ways To Say I Love You, but the one that does is always more important
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29425344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobbersbme/pseuds/bobbersbme
Summary: Theo didn't have any fucking idea what he was doing, and he hated that feeling so damn much.There was only one thing that even felt like it made sense to him even one iota, and it was something that shouldn't make sense to him, not in all the world should it make sense.Being here with Liam, that made sense, even if it really shouldn’t, it did.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 10
Kudos: 76





	How do I say I love you?

**Author's Note:**

> To all the Liams as a part of the “From Your Valentine” event over at the Official Thiam Library. Not really Valentine's Day orientated, but thinking about Theo's love, and it just happened lol.

Theo didn't have any fucking idea what he was doing, and he hated that feeling so damn much. Ever since being pulled out of the underground by Liam, escaping that HELL that he'd been trapped in, and honestly, sometimes he wondered if he wasn't still trapped, not knowing what to do next was a painfully frustrating feeling he'd come across too many times.

There was only one thing that even felt like it made sense to him even one iota, and it was something that shouldn't make sense to him, not in all the world should it make sense. It really shouldn't. The way his heart threatened to beat just a little faster and he had to keep it under control when Liam looked to him searchingly. The way he could close his eyes and see that bright, naive smile on the beta’s face. Hell, even the way his brow furrowed right before his fist snapped forward and Theo ended up with a broken nose, again.

Being here with Liam, that made sense, even if it really shouldn’t, it did.

Still, he really needed to stop provoking Liam, but sometimes it felt like it was the only way that Liam actually paid him attention when he pissed him off. Other than that, why else would he keep him around, except for the fact he was good in a fight? Someone who knew the score and could help him when the chips were down?

Theo knew he could leave, he knew how unhealthy it was to stay knowing that he had no clue if Liam really wanted him there if he felt anything even remotely the same way between them. Maybe he was just torturing himself by staying. The wolf had just gotten under his skin though, and the thought of not being here when Liam needed him, to watch his back even when Liam was too stubborn to ask for it… especially when Liam was too stubborn to ask for it, the mere possibility he wasn’t here when Liam needed him, it tore at him. So he stayed. Even if it meant having to move his truck at least once a night with the deputies rapping their torches on his window, waking him from attempting to get a decent night sleep.

Week's after everything with Monroe and the Anuk-Ite, and everything was quiet here in Beacon Hills, even if the threat of Monroe’s army of hunters was one there, nothing happened. At least nothing big. Theo didn’t want to admit that it felt a bit silly for being sticking around when he didn't seem to be needed, but he did. He got a job at a grocery store, night shift stacking shelves when he couldn't bother anyone. It also cut down on the hours that the deputies were coming after him for loitering, he was allowed to park there during his shift hours.

Whether by design, or flukes, Theo didn’t come across any of the pack, it was probably better that way, he was an omega in pack territory. While one could argue that he wasn’t really an omega considering he wasn’t a real werewolf, it would only be a technicality. If Liam called Scott and told him he was still around, the alpha would probably have him run him out of town. Theo sure as hell knew Stiles would if he found out, there was no question about that.

It was a weekend though when he got company one night, Liam, just walked right in, how he got in when the front was locked up Theo didn’t want to know lest he has to report it to the manager. So, he just stood there and stared at Theo for a long moment as the chimera tried to ignore him while he stacked the shelves. Just as he was about to turn and tell the little wolf where he could go, away from him, go rat him out to his alpha, but instead, when he turned to face Liam, he was standing beside him, lifting boxes of the new brand of cereal and arranging them on the shelf next to where Theo was already working. Now it was his turn to stare for a long moment, his eyes narrowing slightly trying to figure out Liam’s angle.

Not for the first time, he had no clue what the play was here.

Before the underground, he had a goal, he had a purpose that he strived for, here, he didn’t know what his goal was. Instead, he was doing the only thing he knew how to do otherwise, survive. If surviving also included making sure Liam did as well, then, did that matter?

Maybe it did.

One night, turned into two, and then a week. When he found out Liam’s grades were falling because he was spending too much time in the store, Theo had threatened to kick him out on his ass for wasting his time on him. Not that Liam had listened, just turned up the next time with his homework in tow leading to Theo quizzing Liam on his biology homework while stacking packets of nuts and dried fruit.

This continued on until Liam discovered Theo was sleeping in his truck, only for Theo to roll his eyes when the beta tried to convince him to move into his house with him. Yep, that was right where he wanted to live, with Liam and his parents. The next night, Jenna turned up at the store, handed him a key to the house, and told him she expected to see him for breakfast in the morning.

This tiny woman, this tiny woman with fiercely kind eyes, and Theo weren’t so sure he hadn’t been more afraid than he’d ever been in his life. She didn’t even have to threaten him either, the moment he opened his mouth to try and explain why that wouldn’t work, she’d given him a look. One of THOSE looks and his mouth had shut quickly, crowed by a woman even tinier than her son.

When she got back into her car and drove off, he looked over to Liam feeling shocked, and maybe a little adrift, until he saw the beta’s little knowing smile. The little shit knew what he was doing by bringing in the big guns. Damn him.

If he wasn’t so annoyed, he’d admit that he was impressed. 

Suffice to say, once he was done with the shelves, he drove Liam home, parked the truck in the driveway, and slept in the guest room. Sure enough, come breakfast time, he was sitting at the table, and Liam, the smug little asshole smiling as if he’d won a victory. He kept smiling, right until Jenna was scolding him for not being like Theo and helping her with washing the dishes! Then Theo was the one with the smug smile, Liam might just regret forcing Theo to move in, but Theo knew, he’d never regret helping Jenna keep Liam on his toes.

Someone had to watch out for him when he was so busy doing stupid things like worrying about Theo! 

This, of course, didn’t change Liam coming to annoy him at his night shift, he’d still be there, with him, and Theo would still force him to spend the time studying until he was done. The second week of him moving into the house, Theo discovered that Liam had moved ‘pack night’ to the one night Theo had off a week. No, the beta didn’t invite him to it, he just shoved a stack of Blu-ray’s at him after dinner and told him to pick one while he made the popcorn. It wasn’t until he’d loaded the movie into the player that Mason, Corey and Nolan turned up, each of them eyeing him warily. Well, Corey and Nolan were wary, Mason was outright glaring.

Liam just smiled before he noticed Theo trying to slip out when they all got settled, pushing him back to the couch. That was when he’d informed him it was pack movie night, and as acting alpha, everyone was expected to be there.

He wasn’t serious, was he?

Theo pretended that he didn’t hear Mason hissing at Liam about whether Scott knew about this, he already knew the answer.

If Scott knew, he wouldn’t be here. 

Somehow, every week, Liam always found a way to force Theo into whatever it was they were doing as a pack, or at least, the puppy pack.

After a couple of months, Mason has begrudgingly started to accept his presence, knowing there was no talking Liam out of it more than actually accepting him. Unfortunately, that was about the time other members of the pack came back to visit over a school break, and of course, shit hit the fan. Hunters turned up, faeries attacked, and somehow Theo was completely at fault. Never mind that it wasn’t until the others came home that everything went pear-shaped. Sure, it hadn’t been dead quiet in the months past, but small things were far easier to handle than a whole heap load falling on them at once.

Of course, according to more than one person, Scott, Stiles, Malia, even Lydia in some instances, they all seemed to agree that without Theo, everyone would be better off. 

Theo packed up his truck and was sitting in the cab, not able to bring himself to start it and just run away while Liam was out with Mason.

He owed him goodbye at least, so he waited.

Jenna bullied him into coming back inside without a single word, honestly, he was half tempted to point her towards the older members of the pack and have her work her magic on them… but, that was probably far too dangerous.

“You’re leaving.”

It wasn’t a question, it was an accusation. Theo’s attention was drawn over to the doorway, Liam was just standing there looking at him as the words came out the moment he walked in, and Jenna left through the kitchen. Theo sighed, no doubt he’d seen the back of his truck with his gear. Standing from his chair,

“Yea, and well, I’m not good with feelings, but here goes nothing. My life sucked less with you in it. So… thanks.”

It was as close he'd ever gotten to those three words in as long as he could remember, those three words he couldn’t say knowing he was never going to really be welcome here beyond this house.

“Theo.”

No, no he couldn’t hear what Liam was about to say when he used that voice, it was the I’m-in-pain-and-Theo-is-the-only-one-that-makes-it-better voice. There was a whole different voice for when he needed to talk to Mason, or another for Scott, and Theo has a feeling Jenna could probably be a good match for any three of them, but the ‘Theo’ voice killed him every time. It made him feel like he was in the underground and Theo was ripping his heart out of his chest with his own claws this time, handing it over to Liam willingly.

So yet again, Theo had no idea what he was doing, he just knew, if he stayed Scott would never be okay with it. Turning to the door, Liam moved to block him,

“Stay, stay Theo.”

He both loved and hated that voice, because Liam needed him, needed him and only him. He hated it because he couldn’t be what Liam wanted, and he wanted to be so bad.

“Liam, I can’t, Scott will nev-”

“Fuck Scott.”

And so simply Liam was angry, his words more of a growl than anything else.

“Scott, Stiles, none of them have any right to blame you for this, you helped us, you never demanded anything from me, and you always helped. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be graduating next month.”

Shaking his head,

“Come now Little Wolf, you’re smarter than that, you just needed someone to kick your ass and make you study.”

Liam was not stupid, far from it, a bit naive, but not stupid.

“Okay, then how about this, my life sucks less with you in it.”

Theo took in a sharp breath as Liam used his words back at him, present tense. Looking at him, Theo, he couldn’t imagine how much it would hurt if he walked away now. Ripping out his heart would be nothing compared to the thought of walking away from Liam. 

Shit.

Just like that, he wasn’t leaving. He could never leave when Liam used that voice or looked at him with those eyes, he’d take withstanding Stiles vitriol for the rest of his life if he had to, as long as Liam needed him.

“I love you too Little Wolf.”

And there it was, that damn bright like the sun, smile.

“Let’s go unpack the truck and pick something on Netflix to watch, I’ll make the popcorn.”


End file.
